Cartridge-box



UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEIoE JAMES S. SMITH, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

CARTRIDGE-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,680, dated March 12, 1861.

To all whom fit may concer/a.'

Be it known that I, J. S. SMITH, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cartridge-Boxes; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full,l clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure lrepresents a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a detached plan or top view of the slotted metal tubes which form the subject of my invention in a larger scale than the previous figure. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the same, the line .fr m, Fig. 2, indicating the plane of section. Fig. 4 is a similar section taken in the plane indicated by the line y, y, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of a portion of my invention.

Similar letters of reference in all the figures indicate corresponding parts.

This invention relates to certain improvements in the construction of the tin cases which are inserted into the leather satchels known by the name of cartridge boxes, and which form the receptacles for the cartridges.

In ordinary cartridge boxes the cartridges are placed into square t-in cases, of such a length or width that they receive the cartridges in a horizontal position. This fact renders it very diiiicult for the soldiers, especially in cold weather, or with gloved hands, to catch hold of the cartridges in order to charge their rifles or muskets, with the desired rapidity. In order to obviate this difficulty the case A. of my cartridge box is constructed of a series of vertical tubes B. of sufficient height to receive two cartridges vone on the top of the other, as plainly shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings. Each of these tubes is provided with a slot a, extending down from the top to about the middleJ of its height and the cartridges are inserted into said tubes in such a manner that their upper ends or ears project out through the tubes and by taking hold of said ears each cartridge can be taken out with the greatest ease and facility. Two sets of such tubes are secured to each other back to back as clearly shown in Fig. 2, and the two sets are just wide enough to lill the cartridge box C.

Then one series of tubes is empty, the case A. is turned so as to bring the second series of tubes in front. A considerable number or cartridges can thus be stored away in the cartridge box in such a position that they can easily be taken out with the desired rapidity.

In order to construct the tubes Bi. in an easy and simple manner I take for each set of tubes two strips of metal o, bent so that a horizontal section of the same forms a series of half circles, (see Fig. 5) and that by placing the two strips together, as shown in Fig. 2, the tubes are formed. F or the purpose of fastening the strips together yI use staples o, which catch over the upper edges of the same as clearly shown in F ig.`

3. By soldering these staples to the strips the latter are firmly fastened together and the tubes are ready. The two set-s of tubes are now firmly attached to a common bottom plate (Z, which at the same time serves to firmly unite the lower ends of thev tubes. By thus constructing' the tubes. I am enabled to produce' the slotted tubular cases A. of my cartridge boxes at a cost hardly exceeding that of the ordinary square tin cases, and the superior facility, with which the cartridges can be taken out of my boxes, ren-` ders this invention very important.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is,-

1. The employment, in combination with a cartridge box C. of a tin case A. constructed of a series of slotted vertical tubes B. substantially in the manner and for the purpose herein specified.

2. The within described manner` of constructing the tubes B. out of corru ated strips o, connectedby staples 0, as set orth.

JAuEs s. SMITH.

Witnesses:

B. F. SEWARD, W. HAUEE. 

